

mmm 




REV. MASAYOSHI OSHIKAWA. 



Frontispiece. 



WON BY PRAYER; 



OR, 



THE LIFE AND WORK 



OF 



REV. MASAYOSHI OSHIKAWA. 



BY 



REV. AELEN R. BARTHOLOMEW, 

Secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Reformed Church 
in the United States. 




PHILADELPHIA : 

REFORMED CHURCH PUBLICATION HOUSE, 

907 Arch Streex 

1889. 



T3)/ 3+ 51 



The Library 
of Congress 

washington i 



Copyright, 1889, by Rev. A. R. Bartholomew. 



§t&it%tl<M. 



TO MY DEAR WIFE). 



PREFACE. 



BEUEVING that the object ennobles the gift, 
this little volume is affectionately laid on the 
altar of Foreign Missions. It is the fruit of many 
pleasant interviews. 

The Author ascribes no merit to it ; yet, if the 
simple story of a life so full of self-denials, thrill- 
ing incidents and abundant labors will help to 
fan the sacred fire of Evangelization in the heart 
of the Reformed Church into a mighty blaze, he 
will feel amply repaid for his work. 

To this end, may the Lord grant it a hearty 
welcome and a kind perusal ! 

A. R. B. 

Pottsville, Penna., September 16, 1889. 



" READ then ; but, first, thyself prepare 
To read with zeal, and mark with care; 
And when thou read'st what here is writ, 
Let thy best practice second it: 
So twice each sentence read shall be,— 
First on the page, and next in thee." 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

Dedication 3 

Preface 5 

List of Illustrations 9 

I. Introductory n 

II. Ancestry . 19 

III. Childhood 25 

IV. Adoption . . 3 1 

V. Marriage • 37 

VI. Sojourn at Tokio 41 

VII. Conversion at Yokohama 49 

VIII. Vow of Fidelity 57 

IX. Career as a Student 61 

X. Call to Niigata 67 

XI. Work in Sendai 77 

XII. Sendai Theological Seminary 87 

XIII. Our Girls' School 93 

XIV. Evangelistic Work 99 

XV. Visit to America . , . 103 

XVI. Conclusion 107 

Supplement in 

History of Mission Work in Japan. 

7 



LIST OK ILLUSTRATIONS. 



NO. PAGE 

i. Rev. Masayoshi Oshikawa Frontispiece 

2. Native House 17 

3. Carrying Baby . . 31 

4. Wife of Oshikawa 40 

5. Teacher and Class 46 

6. Sons of Oshikawa 54 

7. Buddhist Priests 74 

8. Religious Shrine 80 

9. John Ault Memorial Building 90 

10. Girls' School Building 97 

n. Widow's Mite 103 

12. Seal of Sendai Theological Seminary .... 107 

13. Our Missionaries 117 



INTRODUCTORY. 



II 



" Saviour ! sprinkle many nations, 

Fruitful let Thy sorrows be; 
By Thy pains and consolations, 

Draw the Gentiles unto Thee. 
Of Thy cross the wondrous story, 

Be it to the Gentiles told; 
Let them see Thee in Thy glory 

And Thy mercy manifold." 



12 



WON BY PRAYER; 

OR, 

THE LIFE AND WORK OF REV. MASA- 
YOSHI OSHIKAWA. 



INTRODUCTORY. 



A S the subject of this brief sketch is a native 
^*^ -of Japan, it is proper to preface the history 
of his life and work with a few words on the Em- 
pire itself and its present needs. Japan is our 
next door neighbor. But for the wide ocean the 
people of the two nations could shake hands. It 
is, beyond a doubt, the most beautiful country in 
the whole world. No one can visit this fairy land 
without exclaiming, — u The hand that made thee 
is divine." Foreigners who have seen the lofty 
mountains, the myriad islands, the magnificent 
groves and the sparkling waters of Japan, are 

13 



14 WON BY PRAYER. 

enthusiastic in their descriptions of this land 
of wondrous beauty. It is not surprising that 
the botanist finds here a field where he can feast 
his soul and store his mind with a study of its 
varied Flora. Japan is known as the land of the 
" Rising Sun." The people are kind, clever, 
active, bright, sturdy, patriotic and wealthy. It 
seems they look to America for their social cus- 
toms, civil polity and educational advantages. 
Almost every modern improvement found there 
was taken from our country. The nation has 
put us under great moral responsibilities. If 
there be any great missionary field of the earth 
that the Lord of the harvest expects us to culti- 
vate for Him, it surely is Japan. No other nation 
bids so fair to enroll itself under the crimson ban- 
ner of the Cross. 

Japan is ripe for the Christian religion. Souls 
hunger for the Bread of life. Delay to supply 
them with the means of grace is dangerous. 
Unless those people can be fed with the true 
meat and drink of the soul, they will go into the 
fields of the world and gather the wild gourds 
of sin. They are giving up a poor faith and 
they ask for a better. Japan is bound to imi- 



INTRODUCTORY. 1 5 

tate America, and if they do not take our reli- 
gion, they will take our infidelity ; if they do 
not copy our virtues, they will surely acquire 
our vices. The question that confronts the 
Christian people of our land is, — " What shall 
be the future religion of Japan ?" Infidels are 
busy at work. Tracts by skeptical writers are 
spread broadcast throughout the empire. Can 
we not stay the work of the enemies of the 
Cross? The contest in Japan will not be be- 
tween Shintoism and Christianity, but between 
Christianity and Infidelity, From the tidings 
that come to us from the missionaries on the 
field we may infer that the contest between the 
rival forces at work for the mastery will be 
brief and fierce. A few years will determine the 
issue. If Christianity fails to triumph in the 
conflict, the censure will rest upon us. Skep- 
ticism is an exotic in Japan. This poisonous 
plant was taken there from Europe and Amer- 
ica. What a disgrace it will be to these Chris- 
tian nations should this destructive plant take 
root and thrive in hearts and minds so eager 
for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There are 
young men in Japan who boast that there is 



1 6 WON BY PRAYER. 

no God, no soul, no hell. This is the dark 
side of the picture, but the bright side appears 
when these very persons come under the power 
of the truth and become the brightest and best 
defenders of the Christian faith. It is a repe- 
tition of the old story of Saul persecuting, and 
of Paul prosecuting the work of the Lord. 
God's word cannot be broken. God's cause 
will prevail. The Church of Christ is one in 
Japan. Christian union is swaying such a shin- 
ing sceptre and presenting such a formidable 
front in the battle with the enemies of the 
Cross that we need not fear for the result. 

One of the most hopeful indications in the 
mission work of Japan is the spirit of liberality 
among the native Christians. Almost every 
native Church is a home missionary society. 
Another striking feature is the disparity of the 
sexes in the membership. There are more men 
than women in the Church of Christ of Japan. 
The secret of this is, no doubt, the low condi- 
tion of the women in heathen lands. We 
know that this is not the case in Christian 
lands. 

There never was a time in the history of 



2 
> 

< 

W 

o 
d 




INTRODUCTORY. 1 7 

missions when the field -was more open for 
work among the women. Do the women of 
America know that eighteen millions of their 
own sex are standing on the threshold of that 
higher, nobler, Christian elevation to true wo- 
manhood ? When we view the vast field and 
the immense population of the empire we can- 
not but exclaim : "Who is sufficient for these 
things?" There are about two hundred and 
fifty foreign Protestant missionaries among 
thirty-eight millions of people. How can these 
few laborers reach so many souls ? The native 
pastors and evangelists are doing effective ser- 
vice, but the cry is for more men and means. 
Truly the demands of the present hour are 
urgent. The command of the Great Captain' 
of our salvation is written in letters of light 
over the door of the Church : u Go, Teach, 
Baptize, Save." 

That we as pastors may intelligently lead 
the people in the work of missions, we must 
acquaint ourselves with the facts as they come 
to us fresh from the field. Experience has 
taught us that the. people do not go beyond 
their pastors in zeal and activity, in knowledge 

2 



1 8 WON BY PRAYER. 

and liberality. Our people need more light on 
the subject of missions. Give them facts, and 
you have the fuel in your hands wherewith to 
kindle the fire of missions in their hearts. In 
order that we as a Church may share the joy 
in gathering the large harvest of souls for 
Christ in Japan, we must be active. May the 
Lord open the hearts, the eyes, the hands and 
the purses of our people, so that as a church 
we may accomplish our work in the world. 

Oh, for grace to strengthen our faith and in- 
spire our courage. The voice of prophecy, the 
words of Jesus, the Acts of the Apostles, the 
history of Missions and the witness of the 
Spirit, all encourage us to believe that the 
Kingdoms of this world will become the King- 
doms of the Lord, and that "all the ends of 
the earth shall see the salvation of our God. " 



II. 

ANCESTRY. 



19 



"IT is indeed a blessing when the virtues 
Of noble races are hereditary, 
And do derive themselves from the imitation 
Of virtuous ancestors." 



20 



ANCESTRY. 



A /TASAYOSHI 1 OSHIKAWA 2 was born 
-L*-*- at Matsuyama, 3 Iyo, in the southern 
part of Japan, December 16, 1850. 

There are two classes in Japan : Samurai 
and Heimin. To the first class belong the pro- 
tectors, scholars and soldiers of the country. 
To the second class belong the merchants, 
mechanics and farmers. Oshikawa's father was 
a man of rank. All his ancestors lived in the 
North of Japan, and belonged to the nobler 
class, but for some unknown cause they left 
the province and settled at Tokio. 4 

The supposition is that the desire for con- 
quering more provinces, and thus increasing 
their power, led them to forsake the province 
of the North. Having thus fallen from the 
rank of Daimio 5 they became members of the 

1 Righteousness. 4 Capital of the East. 

2 Running Stream. 5 Great L,and Owner. 



3 Pine Mountain. 



21 



22 WON BY PRAYER. 

Buke. 1 As such they were entitled to heredi- 
tary revenues, free from taxation, and were the 
wielders of the sword and pen. u To the Sa- 
murai Japan looks to-day for safety in war and 
progress in peace. The Samurai is the soul of 
the nation. This is the class which for cen- 
turies has monopolized the arms, polite learn- 
ing, patriotism and intellect of Japan. They 
are the men whose minds have been ever open 
to learn, from whom sprung the ideas that once 
made, and which later overthrew the feudal 
system, which wrought the mighty reforms that 
swept away the Shogunate (governor) in 1868, 
restored the Mikado (the gate) to ancient power, 
who introduced those ideas that now rule Japan 
and sent their sons abroad to study the civili- 
zation of the West." — Griffis, 1876. 

The ancestral name is Hashimoto (near the 
bridge). His father Takuji (home ruler) was a 
follower of the teachings of Confucius, and his 
mother, Tada (only) a strong adherent of 
Buddha. 

There is one point of agreement between the 
believers of Confucianism and Buddhism, viz. : 

1 Military Family. 



ANCESTRY. 23 

the worship of ancestors. The intelligent men 
as a rule are hero-worshippers. They believe 
that the dead are superior to the living, and 
hence they worship them. Ancestral worship 
consists in cherishing their memory, in imitating 
their virtues and in practicing their precepts. 
Although the parents were adherents of dif- 
ferent religious beliefs, yet the creeds of Con- 
fucius and Buddha require the worshipper to 
honor and adore his dead ancestors, thereby 
causing no conflict on this point. 

In the fierce struggle of 1867 between the 
conservatives and reformers the father died. 
He had a strong love of country, and a serious 
quarrel with a reformer led him to take his 
own life with the sword. His family view this 
as a martyr's death. He did not like to see 
the foreigners gaining any foothold in his na- 
tive country, because he was afraid that they 
might corrupt the morals and customs of the 
people. His mind and heart were open to re- 
ceive any good suggestions from the foreigners, 
but he was solicitous to preserve the ancient 
customs and manners. He had the welfare of 
his country at heart, and before his death was 
much worried about the future policy of Japan. 



III. 

CHILDHOOD. 



25 



"Delightful task! to rear the tender thought, 
To teach the young idea how to shoot, 
To pour the fresh instruction o'er the mind, 
To breathe the enlivening spirit and to fix 
The generous purpose in the glowing breast ! " 



26 



CHILDHOOD. 



/^ISHIKAWA was the fifth of seven chil- 
^^ dren. It was the custom on the eighth 
day to bring the child to the shrine of the 
family god, to ask a blessing upon it and to 
offer a gift, which usually found its way into 
the pocket of the priest. This act was a dedi- 
cation of the child to the god. The mother 
early taught the lad to worship in the home 
as well as in the temple. Great stress was laid 
on the necessity of children being true, earnest 
and righteous in their daily life. Both parents 
took a lively interest in the training of their 
children. The mother taught the simpler doc- 
trines in regard to the daily life and conduct, 
whilst the profounder teaching of Confucius — 
that children shall be obedient to parents and 
rulers — was constantly inculcated by the father 
and teacher. The mothers in Japan are usually 
ignorant, but their moral influence upon the 

27 



28 WON BY PRAYER. 

children is very good. The chief aim of a 
Japanese mother is to foster the spirit of ambi- 
tion in her sons. The children of parents be- 
longing to the Samurai have special educa- 
tional privileges. Oshikawa was one of the 
favorites of the family. At seven years of age 
he went to a private school where he was 
taught reading and writing. (Arithmetic was 
a special branch for the boy-merchant. The 
boys of the nobler class had no idea of the 
value of money.) He was an apt student and 
a born leader among his companions. At the 
age of nine he entered the public school. 
During this time he underwent the usual dis- 
cipline in military tactics. He became very 
skillful in the use of the spear. As a wrestler 
his eldest brother had always to take to the 
ground. He was the life of the family. The 
Japanese have great fondness for amusements. 
The toy shop of Japan is the mirror of Japan- 
ese life. u The contrast between the Chinese 
and the Japanese character in this respect is 
radical. It is laid down in one of the very 
last sentences in the Trimetrical Classic, the 
primer of every school in the Flowery land, 



CHILDHOOD. 29 

that play is unprofitable. " In Japan it is dif- 
ferent. There, not only do the children play, 
but the parents also share in the innocent 
sports. It is doubtful whether any other na- 
tion in the world affords so much varied amuse- 
ment for the children. Let us fondly hope 
that this ancient happy feature in Japanese life 
may not disappear as the nation arises from the 
darkness of heathenism to enjoy the light of 
Christianity. 




HP 
CARRYING BABY. 



Page 31. 



IV. 
ADOPTION. 



31 



"What in me is dark, 
Illumine; what is low, raise and support; 
That to the height of this great argument 
I may assert eternal Providence, 
And justify the ways of God to men." 



32 



ADOPTION. 



T NDER the feudal system there used to be a 
^^ law that all the sons in a family, save the 
first-born, had to be adopted by another family 
and assume that family name. Adoption had two 
objects : a material and a religious one. The 
material object was to secure to the family its 
hereditary rights, the benefits of the Samurai 
class. The religious object was to maintain the 
worship of ancestors. The son by adoption usu- 
ally became the son-in-law, if the adoptive father 
had a daughter. In case a son was not adopted 
by another family, he was called Hiya-meshi-Kui 
(eater of cold rice). This was a term of con- 
tempt, since cold rice had no value, but was given 
to servants, beggars and dogs. Where families of 
rank had daughters and no sons, it was highly 
important that they select and adopt a worthy 
son in order to perpetuate the family name and to 
receive the pension from the government. 

In case the father died without succeeding in 
3 33 



34 WON BY PRAYER. 

this, his name was stricken from the roll of the 
Samurai class, and the remainder of the family 
became Heimin (common people). 

At the age of eleven years the subject of this 
biography became the adopted child of a family 
by the name of Oshikawa. They lived about 
half a mile from the old home, and he would often 
visit the scenes of his early childhood. Owing to 
the strict discipline in his new home, two former 
adopted sons had fled to their own homes, but 
the young lad proved to be obedient and faithful. 

In his new home he continued his studies and 
practice in military tactics. When he reached 
the age of fifteen his adopted father took him 
along to battle. He was the smallest and young- 
est in the army, and his premature going to war 
proves that he had a very strict and determined 
father. This uncommonly strange experience 
on the field of battle was to give the youthful 
warrior a nobler conception of his country's 
rights. Unlike his own father, the elder Oshi- 
kawa was a very bitter and violent opposer of the 
introduction and use of anything foreign. He 
would not tolerate any foreign measure, though 
it might be of great value to the country. His 



ADOPTION. 35 

feelings ran so high in this respect that he did 
not even allow his new son to acquire the English 
language. Towards the close of his life he be- 
came more moderate in his views, and the power 
of Christianity had laid hold of him to such an 
extent that Christ found a place in his heart, and 
his death was not altogether without hope to his 
family. 

Both mothers are living at this time in cove- 
nant relation with God. The real mother of our 
welcome visitor was the first to see and to enjoy 
the sweet light of the Gospel in the province of 
Matsuyama, which has a population of thirty 
thousand. This region was a dark spot in Japan. 
The new religion had only enemies in this prov- 
ince. Three years after Oshikawa's conversion 
his own mother's heart, through the influence of 
his life and teachings, became broken and con- 
trite on atcount of her sins, and she found for- 
giveness aM peace through the blood of Jesus. 
She has been a devout and consistent worshipper 
of God for fifteen years, and in her old age she 
not only rejoices in the salvation of her own soul, 
but in the work of her dear son, whose services 
God so wonderfully owns and blesses. The sue- 



36 WON BY PRAYER. 

cess of the work of Oshikawa, so well begun and 
so ably continued, is due, no doubt, in great 
measure, to the sympathy, counsel and prayers 
of his own mother. Of her seven children, he 
was especially set apart to help to promote the 
welfare of his country. She always bore him on 
her heart, and rejoices to believe that the blood 
of her husband and of his father was as seed sown 
which is now yielding precious fruit in the glori- 
ous ingathering of immortal souls into the King- 
dom of God. Brother Oshikawa speaks most ten- 
derly and affectionately of the encouragement he 
received from his adopted mother in acquiring the 
English language at his native home. Without 
her constant and earnest efforts to quiet her hus- 
band, who strenuously opposed even the study of 
English, the eager learner could not have drunk as 
deeply as he did at the well of English Literature. 
It is a striking coincidence that both mothers, 
with Christ in their hearts, should now be living 
as near to each other in Sendai as they did in 
heathen darkness in Matsuyama. Then they 
were living for themselves ; now they are helpers 
in the spread of the Gospel. May they live long 
and well and happy ! 



V. 

MARRIAGE. 



37 



' The joys of marriage are the heaven on earth, 
Life's paradise, great princes, the soul's quiet, 
Sinews of concord, earthly immortality, 
Eternity of pleasures." 



33 



HIS MARRIAGE. 



A T the age of eighteen he was married to 
-^~~^- Miss Tsune {constant), a daughter of Ma- 
saytiki {attainment) Oshikawa. To the Japanese 
mind the time of adoption into the family was 
the virtual engagement of the son and daughter. 
This engagement was made beforehand by the 
parents of the contracting parties. The sealing 
of the contract was usually preceded by the par- 
ents exchanging visits and by carefully examin- 
ing whether the prospective union would be con- 
genial. The children had no voice in effecting 
these arrangements ; but when the parties did not 
love each other, the marriage contract was some- 
times broken. In the case of an adult, where no 
such marriage contract had been made, it was 
customary for the parents to ask the consent of 
the son before they made the choice of a life- 
companion for him. Great preparations were 
made for the wedding-day, especially on the part 
of the bride. In families of rank the bridal out- 

39 



40 WON BY PRAYER. 

fit was extensive, extravagant and costly, consist- 
ing of from five to seven wardrobes full of silk 
dresses, with head ornaments, and also a mirror 
and a sword. The sword, a symbol of chastity, 
was always sent to the husband prior to the wed- 
ding, and in the event of the betrayal of the affec- 
tions, this instrument was used to kill the wife. 
It was a common thing after the wedding to dis- 
cuss the bridal outfit, and the weight of the ward- 
robes was generally a sign of its value. The 
quaint story is told, that on a certain occasion a 
witty bride filled her wardrobes with stones, so 
that the carriers of them might believe that she 
was bringing to her husband treasures of great 
worth. The outfit of the common people con- 
sisted of plainer attire and fewer ornaments. 

The wedding ceremony is very simple. No 
priest is present to pronounce them " twain one 
flesh ;" no ritual is used and no fee is paid. The 
ceremony consists of drinking a few drops of sake 
(wine) three times, by the bride and groom and 
the parents of both. 

A very elaborate feast winds up the ceremony. 
One or more rooms in the old homestead are 
occupied by the newly-married couple, where 
they often remain for life. 



►3 

► 
o 
« 

Ed 
o 




VI. 

SOJOURN AT TOKIO. 



41 



"Yet then from all my grief, O Lord, 
Thy mercy set me free, 
Whilst in the confidence of pray'r 
My soul took hold on thee." 



42 



SOJOURN AT TOKIO. 



A BOUT one year after the marriage of Oshi- 
^"*- kawa, he in company with eight young 
men from the province of Iyo, were sent to 
Tokio by the feudal lord. At that time there 
were three hundred and sixty provinces in the 
empire of Japan. There was a great deal of 
competition among the many provinces, and, in 
order to secure able and efficient men for the re- 
sponsible positions in his province, this -lord 
chose from among his subjects young men who 
might pursue a special course of study in the 
Imperial English College at Tokio, and thereby 
qualify themselves for their future life-work. 
After spending three years in this institution it 
became evident that they could not there acquire 
a thorough and practical knowledge of the Eng- 
lish. Two of the eight young men, one of them 
being Oshikawa, came to Yokohama at the re- 
quest of the feudal lord, and began the study of 

43 



44 WON BY PRAYER. 

English with the Rev. James Ballagh, D.D., 
a missionary of the Reformed Church of Amer- 
ica. It was the intention of the government to 
send Oshikawa to America to qualify him for 
greater usefulness among his own people. His 
past training had given him an unfavorable 
opinion of the Christian religion. He did not 
like the Christians, and felt that Christianity 
was the devil-religion. 

His antipathy to the missionaries of the cross 
arose from two things : obedience to his parents 
and loyalty to his country. The teachings of 
his parents and the opposition of the country to 
the new religion made him dread and hate it. 
Though he despised Christianity with all his 
heart, yet the idea of our civilization had laid 
hold of his mind to such an extent that he could 
not help asking the question, c ' How could such 
an evil religion produce such a superior civiliza- 
tion ?" The desire to pry into the mysteries of 
Christianity made him an eager observer of the 
life, conduct and conversation of the missiona- 
ries. He was laboring under the mental delu- 
sion that there was some secret method of de- 
priving the people of their reason and of compel- 



SOJOURN AT TOKIO. 45 

ling them to become Christians. With this sus- 
picion uppermost in his mind, he closely watched 
his teacher to see wherein lay his power to make 
converts. The Japanese mind at this time was 
very superstitious ; the common people thought 
that Christians, by some magical power, could 
work wonders. These superstitious ideas, no 
doubt, were the relics of the influence of the 
Roman Church, which had at one time a strong 
hold in Japan. With these peculiar notions of 
Christianity perplexing his own mind, it was an 
act of Providence that brought the young Oshi- 
kawa into a mission school where he could see 
and hear that he was entirely mistaken. Rev. 
Ballagh, who is a very earnest, devout and faith- 
ful missionary, paid special attention to this in- 
teresting student. The study of the Bible for an 
hour each day was a part of the course of instruc- 
tion. The sacred book had no particular in- 
terest in it to the apt pupil, but his thirst for 
English made him the daily reader of its pages. 
The noble teacher was a mighty man in prayer. 
His daily communions with God in the presence 
of the students were fragrant with zeal and love 
and pity for the nation that then sat under the 



46 WON BY PRAYER. 

shadow of death. These constant outpourings 
before the throne of God were gentle touches to 
the hearts of the anxious learners, and in due 
season made them alive with the conviction that 
there is a God and that He hears prayer. For 
nine months these students could not appreciate 
the word of life nor feel the power of prayer, 
though they were reading the Bible and hearing 
the missionary ever} 7 day. One day the man of 
God set apart an hour for special prayer. At the 
close of this prayer-meeting he said to the stu- 
dents : "If any one of you desires to become a 
Christian let him place a card with his name on 
my table." The students had no conversation 
in regard to their intentions about this eventful 
matter, but, to the great surprise of the zealous 
missionary, the next morning he found the 
names of nine students on his t&ble, thereby ex- 
pressing a desire to be baptized into Christ. 
The secret of these wonderful conversions was 
the study of the Word and the quickening pres- 
ence of the Holy Spirit. Prayer was also a 
power in this instance. In one of his prayers 
the godly teacher had made a sincere and touch- 
ing appeal in behalf of the Japanese people, and 




WIFE OF REV. M. OSHIKAWA. 

Page 46. 



SOJOURN AT TOKIO. 47 

brother Osliikawa testifies that the petition made 
such an impression upon his heart and mind that 
he began to seek the way of truth. 

His simple faith in the Saviour of men made 
him willing to surrender himself to Christ. He 
felt the power of the pure, righteous, loving and 
perfect life of Jesus. To him Christ was God. 
For Christ he was ready to die. 



VII. 

CONVERSION AT YOKOHAMA. 



49 



" LEAD kindly, Light, amid the encircling gloom, 

Lead Thou me on. 
The night is dark, and I am far from home, 

Lead Thou me on. 
Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see 
The distant scene — one step enough for me." 



50 



CONVERSION AT YOKOHAMA. 



A T the time of his conversion to Christianity 
- ^*- the thought of a future reward did not 
enter his mind, for the Holy Spirit had made 
Jesus appear to his spiritual eye as the One alto- 
gether lovely. His faith in Christ and love of 
truth made him eager to bring his people to 
Christ. A confession of Christ in those days was 
accompanied by many sacrifices. Why ? Be- 
cause the Japanese believed that the new reli- 
gion taught children to be disobedient to parents 
and disloyal to country. It is natural that such 
views, held especially by conscientious persons, 
would arouse the bitterest hostility to the Chris- 
tian religion. To show how prevalent this en- 
mity was, it is only necessary to repeat the lan- 
guage of the edict of the government : " So long 
as the Sun shall warm the earth let no Christian 
be so bold as to come to Japan." Hardly had 
the young convert been baptized before the 
rumor was spread abroad and his parents im- 

5i 



52 WON BY PRAYER. 

mediately sent him word: u Come home." 
Oshikawa knew his danger. His father, 1 accord- 
ing to the law and custom of the country, had a 
perfect right to put him to death. As a son by 
adoption he was in imminent peril of his life. 
It is remarkable what courage and fortitude his 
confession of Christ and the act of baptism gave 
his soul. Before he publicly allied himself with 
the people of God he used to conceal the Bible in 
the folds of his dress, being afraid of the police 
officer. This fear of men left him after his con- 
version, and, instead of hiding the blessed book, 
he carried it openly in his hand. The letter from 
his parents requesting his immediate return did 
not shake his faith in God. He went to obtain 
advice from Rev. David Thompson, D.D., a 
missionary of the Presbyterian Church. He told 
his plaintive story to this calm, prudent, godly 
man, who gave him the advice of Paul to the 
Philippians : " Be careful for nothing: but in 
everything by prayer and supplication with 
thanksgiving, let your requests be made known 
unto God." Besides this spiritual counsel, he 
also gave him a purse of money which became 

J As used in this chapter, it refers to the adopted father. 



CONVERSION AT YOKOHAMA. 53 

very useful to him afterwards. 1 In the strength 
of the aforesaid passage of Scripture he under- 
took the journey to his home, a distance of five 
hundred miles. Hatred and love, joy and sorrow 
were mingled in the cup of his reception. The 
parents were angry, the wife was loving ; the 
parents were suspicious, the wife was trustful. 
For one week heathen darkness struggled with 
Christian light. The discussion often waxed hot. 
The young convert was open to persuasion, and 
he would always reply to the passionate out- 
bursts of his father : u If any one in this prov- 
ince can convince me that Christianity is an evil 
religion I will give it up." He continued stead- 
fast in his Christian confidence. ' ( I cannot for- 
sake Christ,' 5 was his constant reply to the 
abusive arguments of his father. At the expira- 
tion of one week his own mother came to see 
him. Here we touch the thrilling point in the 
experience of the useful Christian. To the 
Japanese mind the acceptance of Christianity 
was a heinous crime, justly punishable with 
death. The mother's heart was filled with 
shame at the strange conduct of her dear son in 

x See incident on page 63. 



54 WON BY PRAYER. 

accepting Christianity, which was a disgrace to 
the nation as well as to the memory of his ances- 
tors, and she could not do otherwise than pa- 
tiently submit to the final decision of the father. 
What might that decision be ? Banishment from 
home, loss of family title and divorce from his 
wife, or even death. 

Ere the fatal day arrived for the verdict of the 
parent his own mother spent a whole night with 
him, earnestly pleading with her dear boy to 
give up the new religion and to remain loyal to 
his ancestors. After three hours of tender, loving 
and fervent intercession, she fell down at his 
feet (an unusual act for Japanese parents) be- 
seeching him with tears in her eyes : " O my 
loving son have pity upon your dear mother, 
deny Christianity, save your life and cling to the 
righteous doctrines of your ancestors. \ ' 

There was a long and painful silence between 
the mother and son. The loving appeal of the 
mother wrought upon the tender feelings of the 
son to such an extent that he could not at once 
say no to her urgent request. 

This was the great crisis of his life. In the 
depths of his heart he cried out to God for help. 



CO 

o 

co 
O 

M 




> 
> 




CONVERSION AT YOKOHAMA. 55 

The Lord heard his supplication and enabled 
him to tell his dear mother in an emphatic way : 
4 ' I must stand firm in the Christian faith ; I will 
suffer any hardship, even death itself, rather 
than commit the unpardonable sin by denying 
my Lord and Saviour. " 

This noble confession made a deep impression 
upon his mother. By it she was taught the 
sober truth, that to deny the Lord with such 
strong convictions of heart and mind would be 
an unpardonable sin. Rather than have her 
son commit such a crime, she was content to see 
him die at the hands of his father. She left the 
room, with joy and sorrow commingling in her 
heart — joy that her son had such a strong deter- 
mination, and sorrow that by clinging to his 
convictions he could not escape the severe 
punishment by the father and the utter rejection 
by the people. It must be borne in mind that 
when he became a Christian he had no longer 
any friends in his native province. Like the 
Saviour, he was despised and rejected by his own 
people. But there was one friend in the prov- 
ince of lyo who did not forsake him — it was his 
dear wife. During his brief stay at home she 



56 WON BY PRAYER. 

saw the good effects Christianity had upon his 
life, and through his daily instructions, she ac- 
quired a sufficient knowledge of Christianity to 
make her favorable to it. She gave her parents 
to understand that by killing her husband they 
would ruin her, and by disowning him she 
would forsake them. 

The daughter's determination was triumphant 
over the father's severity, and he could not carry 
out his original intentions. God's protective 
hand may be clearly seen in this strange provi- 
dence, and the incident confirms the declaration 
of the Apostle : "Who is he that will harm you, 
if ye be followers of that which is good ? ' ' The 
next morning a near relative, at the request of 
the father, who was too angry to speak to his 
son, came into the room and said : "Leave home 



VIII. 
VOW OF FIDELITY. 



57 



"We expect a bright to-morrow; 

All will be well; 
Faith can sing through days of sorrow, 

All, all is well. 
On our Father's love relying, 
Jesus every need supplying, 
Or in living, or in dying, 

All must be well." 



58 



VOW OF FIDELITY. 



PRIOR to his departure from the old home, 
with its many tender and sacred associa- 
tions, a solemn vow of fidelity to each other was 
made between the young Christian husband and 
the fond, loving wife. With God as their wit- 
ness, the two hearts married anew, though for 
nine years thereafter they did not enjoy each 
other's presence and help. The husband vowed 
that he would forsake every other, and cleave to 
her only, so long as life should last. The wife 
made a similar promise. They did not know 
what the results of this new and (to their people) 
strange procedure might be. Oshikawa's life was 
in constant peril ; but the determination of his 
soul was so strong, and his eagerness to elevate 
his own countrymen so intense, that he was 
willing to die for the truth's sake. Here we 
have a repetition of the experience of Isaac 
when laid by Abraham on the altar. When 
just ready to be slain, by the mercies of God in 

59 



60 WON BY PRAYER. 

His own way, the victim was rescued as the first 
fruits of the faith in Japan, and through him 
many souls have become the heirs of eternal 
salvation. At the time of his conversion there 
were only six known Protestant Christians in the 
whole Empire of Japan. 

He bade an affectionate farewell to the wife of 
his bosom, and during a period of nine years he 
met her only on two occasions, at her home at 
intervals of several years. This long separation 
was due to the ill-will of the father. The younger 
Oshikawa exemplified in deed the spirit of the 
Gospel that "If any man will follow Christ, he 
must be willing to deny himself, forsake all and 
take up his cross." Christianity laid a heavy 
burden upon this young, vigorous and burning 
disciple of Christ, but, with a martyr -spirit, he 
left his home and came to Yokohama. The 
journey was a long and dreary one. The needs 
of his own dear people, who were sitting in the 
darkness of sin, laid hold upon his very soul, and 
he was sorrowful for their sakes. But his heart 
was full of joy in view of the golden sheaves that 
he knew, by the help of the Lord, he could 
gather for the Kingdom of Heaven. 



IX. 

HIS CAREER AS A STUDENT. 



61 






"He who can part from country and from kin, 

And scorn delights, and tread the thorny way, 
A heavenly crown, through toil and pain, to win — 

He who reviled can tender love repay, 
And buffeted, for bitter foes can pray — 

He who, upspringing at his Captain's call, 
Fights the good fight, and when at last the day 

Of fiery trial comes, can nobly fall — 
Such were a saint — or more — and such the holy Paul.' 



62 



HIS CAREER AS A STUDENT. 



T T IS return to Yokohama was a great victory 
-*--■- for the Gospel. The missionaries saw in 
him one of the brightest trophies of their labors. 
His steadfast adherence to the faith had a good 
influence upon another convert of his province, 
who went home about the same time on a similar 
mission. This man was weak in the faith, and 
ready to deny it ; but when he saw the bold cour- 
age and strong determination of his friend, he 
too forsook his pleasant home and large inherit- 
ance and came to Tokio, bringing his wife with 
him. He became a good helper to the infant 
church at Tokio, where he also continued the 
practice of medicine. He died a few years ago, 
a true believer in the saving power of our holy 
religion. 

Mr. Oshikawa came to Yokohama penniless. 
He was fully persuaded that he must qualify him- 
self by a course of study for the Christian minis- 
try. From henceforth he took as his motto : "I 

63 



64 WON BY PRAYER. 

will spend my life in the service of Christianity." 
His faith was put to the test. He had no means 
wherewith to prosecute his studies, but he was so 
strong in the Lord that he knew He would sup- 
ply all his wants. For three months he was a 
beneficiary student, the missionaries aiding him. 
He now felt that he must provide a way for his 
self-support. To this end he taught men and 
women the Japanese language, and in many other 
ways he tried to make money, so that he might 
not be a burden to the missionaries. 

He did not like the idea of being a beneficiary, 
for he knew that there were younger men who 
had no way of supporting themselves, and in 
order to help them he was willing to deny him- 
self. His self-denying spirit furnishes a very 
forcible example to the young men in the Church 
who feel that they ought to be ministers of Christ, 
but who do not see how they are to receive the 
proper training. Let such find a powerful stim- 
ulant in his experience, and make an effort, at 
least, to enter the holy ministry. 

He studied theology for four years in Yoko- 
hama, under Rev. S. R. Brown, D.D. , a minister 
of the Reformed Church in America. Four other 



HIS CAREER AS A STUDENT. 65 

teachers were helpers in preparing him for his 
great life-work. During his student life he fre- 
quently spoke to large audiences. The subject of 
his first sermon was Faith : — u Now faith is the 
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of 
things not seen" (Hebrews 11 : 1). 

The sermon was delivered in a large theatre in 
the presence of an attentive audience of several 
hundred, and made a deep impression. Whilst 
pursuing his studies he was a hard worker for the 
Gospel, and by his feeble efforts not a few were 
led to Christ. 

As in the case of our own ministers in olden 
times so here, the advantages of a thorough theo- 
logical training were not at hand, but he made 
the best use of his time and became duly quali- 
fied rightly to divide the Word of God. His 
stay at Yokohama gave him an opportunity not 
only to acquire an education, but also to form the 
acquaintance of the missionaries. He had great 
confidence in their purity, integrity and fidelity. 
To him their lives, conduct and conversation be- 
came an object-lesson. He could see that they 
had been with Jesus and had learned of Him. 
He frequently speaks of them in the most grate- 
5 



66 WON BY PRAYER. 

ful terms for what they did for him in temporal 
and spiritual things. 

He was one of the first elders in the First 
Christian congregation in Yokohama. Subse- 
quently he had a call from this church to become 
its pastor, but his modesty forbade his acceptance 
of that honor. It may be of interest to mention 
the fact that the beautiful idea of Church Union 
had its origin in the first Christian church of 
Yokohama. In its early days an effort was made 
towards union with the Congregational Church 
at Kobe. The congregation at Yokohama did 
not assume the title " Dutch Reformed Church," 
but simply " The Church of Christ in Japan," 
looking towards a closer union in the future with 
sister churches. 



X. 

CALL TO NIIGATA. 



67 



' THE light is ever silent ; 
Most silent of all heavenly silences. 
Such let my life be here ; 

Not marked by noise, but by success alone, 
Not known by bustle but by useful deeds, 
Quiet and gentle, clear and fair as light. 
Yet full of its all penetrating power, 
Its silent but resistless influence ; 
Wasting no needless sound, yet ever-working, 
Hour after hour, upon a needy world." 



68 



CALIv TO NIIGATA. 



T^R. T. A. PALM, a man of great celebrity 
"*^both as a physician and as a missionary, 
sent a call from Niigata to Yokohama for a na- 
tive helper who could aid him in his church- 
work. This place was a hard field for mission- 
ary work. It was a strong-hold of Buddhism, 
and the people were very bitter against Chris- 
tianity. The interpreter who was helping Dr. 
Palm withdrew from the work on account of 
the persecution of the people. One day while 
he was conducting a service several foes of the 
cause came and took him off the pulpit, beat- 
ing him with their fists, until the police set 
him at liberty. It will be seen from this inci- 
dent that to enter the place as an evangelist 
would be accompanied with more or less of 
personal danger. The helper who fled from 
Niigata was a Mr. Amenomori. Why did this 
man forsake his post of duty? It is the opin- 
ion of those who know him best that he never 

6 9 



70 WON BY PRAYER. 

was a sincere Christian. After he left Niigata 
he came to Yokohama and forsook Christi- 
anity. In May last he was the orator at the 
imposing service held in the great Buddhist 
temple at Ikegami, Japan. This religious ser- 
vice was held after the Buddhist's rites in 
memory of the men who lost their lives in 
the sunken vessel "Oneida," belonging to the 
United States, and whose remains were found 
some time ago. It seems that Mr. Ameno- 
mori is neither a Buddhist nor a Christian, 
but an agnostic. 

The loud call from Niigata for an evangelist 
rang into the ears of Mr. Oshikawa, but he 
did not feel that the voice came from heaven. 
He gave great heed to it, however, and made 
it a subject of earnest prayerful study. He 
had frequently heard of the pressing need of 
an evangelist, but the necessity of his accept- 
ing the call did not become clear to him until 
one Sabbath evening at prayer-meeting, where 
the Rev. James Ballagh, D.D., made it the 
subject of special prayer. At that service, 
in answer to a fervent prayer, Mr. Oshikawa 
felt the Spirit's power urging him to go 



CALL TO NIIGATA. 7 1 

to Niigata. Such was the overshadowing of 
the Spirit that he, in the midst of prayer, 
arose from his knees and said : "I will go, 
for the Lord commands me." It was the 
last of December, and Niigata lay two hun- 
dred and sixty-three miles west from Tokio. 
His journey lay over rough mountain roads, 
almost impassible on account of the deep snows 
and strong winds. He had to pass through 
Shinano, the coldest and highest spot in Japan, 
and the largest province in the empire. He 
was very poor and without sufficient clothing 
to protect him from the cold. His friend and 
teacher, the Rev. S. A. Brown, D.D., supplied 
him with three of his own suits, fur gloves 
and a pair of boots. Unfortunately the coats 
were too large and the boots were too small, 
but fit or no fit he put them on to keep warm 
during his long and tedious journey. He had 
to make the trip on foot, and it took him 
thirteen days to reach Niigata. He spent two 
days in the town of Uyeda, where he met a 
few believers who were afraid to call them- 
selves Christians. " They kept the Sabbath 
and met regularly to worship God and study 



72 WON BY PRAYER. 

the Bible ; they had only a copy of the Gos- 
pel of Matthew, and yet they came to a knowl- 
edge of God and His worship by this alone. " 
This little band of secret disciples were very 
happy to meet a bearer of glad tidings, and 
they begged him to remain with them to 
teach them more fully the precious truths of 
the Lord Jesus. He spent two whole days in 
strengthening the faith of these timid Chris- 
tians, and the work of the Iyord continues to 
prosper among them until this day. One of 
their number has since become a minister of 
the Gospel and is now the successful pastor at 
Yokohama of the largest Christian church in 
Japan. Rev. Oshikawa resumed his journey, 
suffering great hardships, and on January 2, 
1876, reached Niigata. His appearance on 
arriving there was like that of John the Bap- 
tist. His attire was very strange and unusual 
to the eye of a Japanese ; being so very cold 
he not only wore his native dress, but the 
foreign garments given him by his loving 
teacher. He made quite an unfavorable impres- 
sion on the cook in the house of Dr. Palm, who 
at once said : " This man will be useless here." 



CALIv TO NIIGATA. 73 

He immediately began his work and contin- 
ued it in the face of much opposition and 
many difficulties, but his labors were very fruit- 
ful. A flourishing church exists at this place 
whose members evince a strong faith and a 
firm reliance on their Covenant-Father. Mr. 
Oshikawa spent nearly four years here. In 
connection with this church he also served nine 
out-stations. He spent about one-half of his 
time in pastoral work, the most remote station 
being fifty miles distant. The rough roads, 
snow drifts and fierce winds made travel ex- 
ceedingly difficult. Mr. Oshikawa had to reach 
his appointments on foot. 

During the third year of his stay in Niigata 
Mrs. Oshikawa, by the permission of her father, 
came to join him in his arduous labors and to 
share the joys and sorrows of his ministry. 
Her coming was as a bright light in the dark 
cloud which had so long overhung his path- 
way, and ever since that time husband and 
wife have been zealously laboring for the ex- 
tension of the Redeemer's kingdom. The Lord 
has blest their union with four children. Two 
boys are still living, and the father cherishes 



74 WON BY PRAYER. 

the fond hope that the Master may use them 
in His service. He has given them to the 
Lord with the fervent prayer that He may 
place them in spheres of life where they may 
best serve Him. He would like to see them 
in the work of the ministry, but he says if 
they should lack the "gift'-' he would rather 
see them become farmers or merchants. He 
believes that inefficient pastors corrupt Christi- 
anity and retard the progress of Christ's King- 
dom in the earth. 

During the first year of his ministry at Nii- 
gata, he preached every evening to large con- 
gregations, and he relates that. one-half of his 
listeners were Buddhist priests. These always 
occupied the front pews, and with their shaven 
heads gave interest to the meeting. It was 
customary after the services for the priests to 
come forward, ask questions and discuss them 
with the missionaries. Such discussions were 
the attractive features of the evening, and often 
continued until midnight. Their ignorance of 
Christianity made it easy for Mr. Oshikawa to 
defeat their arguments. The priests, as a class, 
are the worst characters. The voice of con- 




BUDDHIST PRIESTS. 



Page 74, 



CALX, TO NIIGATA. 75 

science no longer impresses them. Their posi- 
tion as priests should entitle them to high 
esteem, but because they preach what they do 
not believe the intelligent despise them. The 
people were eager to detect any fault in Chris- 
tianity. They came every day to his room to 
argue against the truth, but a few also came 
to learn about Jesus. It was difficult for him 
to walk along the. street. The boys would 
call him "Yaso n (a term of contempt), and 
fanatical persons would frequently pour water 
upon him. Such indecent treatment became 
the cause of great rejoicing among the people. 
It was not an infrequent occurrence for an 
enemy to come to the place of preaching at 
night, and through the open door hurl bags of 
ashes against the ceiling, thus emptying their 
contents on the heads of the listening crowd. 
These vile wretches could not be detected, 
owing to the darkness of the room. (They had 
no electric light in those days). Such abuse 
by the people might, in the estimation of some, 
have justified his withdrawal from Niigata, but 
this was not the cause of his removal to Sen- 
dai. Two reasons may be given for his loca- 



y6 WON BY PRAYER. 

tion among a people who were more alive to the 
needs of perishing souls : ist. A year previous 
to his departure from Niigata, he paid a visit 
to Yamagata, Yonezawa and Sendai in the 
northern part of Japan. He made this trip to 
explore that portion of the empire. He spent 
three months among the people, preaching and 
distributing the Bible among them. They 
made a favorable impression on his mind, and 
he felt it his duty to locate there. 2d. In two 
months after his return three large and destruc- 
tive fires broke out in Niigata. Nine thousand 
houses were consumed. Having no preaching 
place, and the people being occupied in re- 
building their houses, he had but little oppor- 
tunity to labor among them. These severe 
conflagrations and the bitter animosities of the 
people made it plain to his mind that he 
should locate in the city of Sendai. He brought 
with him Mr. K. Yoshida as an assistant, who 
by his piety and zeal has been very helpful to 
him in the work of Evangelization. 



XI. 



WORK IN SENDAI. 



77 



11 BLEST thought ! each conflict here, each bitter strife, 
Shall but add sweetness to the cup of life. 
Each heavy stroke shall but God's child prepare 
To be a pillar in His temple there ; 
There, where the things which darkly now I see, 
Shall be in perfect light revealed to me." 



78 



HIS WORK IN SENDAL 



A WIDE and effectual door was open to him 
**- in this city and the region round about. 
A church was the fruit of his first year's labor, 
and eleven members agreed to support him as 
their pastor. The beginning of his labors in 
Sendai was very different from that in Niigata. 
There, out of mere curiosity, the people came 
in crowds to hear him ; here he could not find 
any one for six months to listen to the preaching 
of the word. He spent this season of patient 
waiting and earnest endeavor in visiting from 
house to house. Though he read the Bible in 
many families, there was no response to its 
precious teachings. He had to pave the way 
before any one would come to hear him tell the 
story of Jesus and His love. Why should these 
people be so unwilling to hear the preaching of 
the gospel ? During the period of Reformation 
(1868) the inhabitants of the province of Sendai, 
in a war against the emperor of Japan, were 

79 



80 WON BY PRAYER. 

defeated, and some of them fled to Hakodate, 
one of the five ports of Japan, a flourishing city 
about three hundred miles distant. Here many 
of them became converts to the Greek Church, 
and on returning to their homes established con- 
gregations. In the course of time the bulk of 
these Christians became merely nominal adhe- 
rents to the Church. Their lives were a constant 
reproach upon the Christian religion, and this, 
coupled with an inborn prejudice against Chris- 
tianity, made them unwilling to listen even to 
the preaching of Mr. Oshikawa. After six 
months of unsuccessful toil, he hired a very 
attractive place on the main street, and at the 
close of one month his audiences were large, 
attentive and interesting. From the time of his 
arrival in Sendai the work grew, but the services 
had to be held in unsuitable rooms. Not until 
the year 1887 did the congregation enjoy their 
own place of worship. At this time they pur- 
chased a large Buddhist temple, with a seating 
capacity of five hundred, for the sum of twenty- 
five hundred dollars. To the Christians at 
Sendai this purchase was a great victory for 
the gospel. Heretofore this place was used for 



# 

H 




HIS WORK IN SENDAI. 8 1 

the worship of many gods ; now it was solemnly 
set apart for the worship of the One true and 
living God. This is the first instance in the 
Mission work of Japan that a Heathen temple 
became a Christian church. The congregation 
has outgrown the temple. Rev. Oshikawa feels 
the necessity of a new house of worship, and 
he sincerely hopes that the churches, during 
his stay in America, will contribute a sufficient 
sum of money to erect a building that will be 
an honor to the Reformed Church in the United 
States, as well as a blessing to the faithful of 
his own flock. 

Rev. Oshikawa has seen sore trials. Not only 
was the hand of persecution upon him from 
without, but the Lord led him through the 
deep waters of affliction. Sickness laid hold 
upon him, and for three months the L,ord taught 
him on his sick-bed how weak he was. This 
became a season of heavy distress to him, but 
through it the Healer of the soul was working 
out a far more exceeding and eternal weight 
of glory. He found great comfort in his com- 
munion with God. He says that the map of 
Japan which hung in his .sick chamber, and 
6 



82 WON BY PRAYER. 

the study of the book of Job, gave him much 
consolation. On that map he saw many places 
in which the people sat in spiritual ignorance, 
and to whom he felt he must bring the Lamp 
of life to c ' dispel the darkness from their minds, 
and to open all their eyes." 

In the book of Job he saw a man full of 
trials and bereavements, and whose patient sub- 
mission to God enabled him to say : ' ( Though 
He slay me, yet will I trust in Him." In this 
time of his affliction the angel of death also 
came and bore away a little daughter, the 
dearest one in the household. Through the 
thick of the gloom the light of the Cross was 
still shining in the heart of this man of God, 
and he could bless the hand that had given and 
taken aw^ay the flower of his family. These 
light afflictions were not only working out a 
blessing for this suffering brother, but they also 
became a benefit to the attending physician, 
Dr. Koyama. Whilst he was prescribing for 
his patient, the patient, by his sweet submission 
amid the crushing bereavement, was teaching 
him the power of Christianity in the hour of 
trouble. It was evident to his mind that human 



HIS WORK IN SKNDAI. 83 

strength alone could not fortify the soul under 
such trying circumstances, and he began to 
search out the secret of his patient's ready and 
cheerful resignation to the painful providences 
of his daily life. 

The child's death became the physician's life. 
He now came to his patient not to administer 
medicine for the body, but to receive from his 
lips the saving balm for his soul. For several 
months he was an eager seeker for more light 
about the " Jesus Way," and when he found 
it he gave up all for Jesus. The readers of 
our Church papers may recall the fact that when 
Rev. W. E. Hoy went to Shiroishi, he was 
met by a Christian physician, who kindly shared 
with him the hospitalities of his home, this 
physician being no other than Dr. Koyama, 
one of the first fruits of Brother Oshikawa's 
labors in Sendai. His wife, who continued a 
heathen for seven years after his conversion, 
recently became a Christian, and enjoys with 
her husband the benediction of Christianity in 
the home. Through his influence many persons, 
among them several physicians, have, embraced 
the Christian religion. He is at the head of a 



84 WON BY PRAYER. 

large corps of physicians in the hospital at 
Shiroishi, and his position affords him splendid 
opportunities to. care for the souls as well as 
the bodies of his patients. Our missionaries 
recognize his worth and appreciate his help. 

Until 1885 our faithful missionary, the Rev. 
Oshikawa, stood aloof from all synodical rela- 
tions. His first idea was to establish churches on 
a broad basis under the name of the Church of 
Christ in Japan. He felt that Christianity could 
make better progress without denominational 
distinction. After five years of experiment he 
gave up this idea. It became plain to his mind 
that in order rapidly to spread the Gospel in 
the north of Japan he must have help, both of 
men and means. He went to Tokio, and made 
his wants and wishes known to the United 
Church of Christ in Japan. He was willing to 
connect his work with the United Church of 
Christ on two conditions : — 

1st. The establishment of a Boys' and Girls' 
school. 

2d. The supply of money for evangelistic 
purposes. 

He had three churches and two hundred mem- 



HIS WORK IN SENDAI. 85 

bers. The missionaries at Tokio were impressed 
with his humility, piety and ability. Subse- 
quently they paid much attention to him and 
his work. u At his earnest request other laborers 
were to be sent to assist in the various depart- 
ments of his work." About this time Rev. 
W. E. Hoy, of iVmerica, a minister of the 
Reformed Church in the United States, came 
to Japan. Fortunately he was met by Rev. 
Oshikawa at Tokio, who soon got his consent 
to locate at Sendai. The missionaries of our 
Church agreed to this arrangement, and from 
that time Sendai became the special field of 
work for the Reformed Church in the United 
States. 

With the" arrival of the new missionary in 
this interesting and hopeful province the work 
was carried on with perfect trust, and the end 
is not yet. The membership comprises several 
officials and persons of rank. Among the con- 
verts is the Vice-President of the Provincial 
Assembly, an elder in the Sendai congregation, 
and at this time a probable member of the 
Imperial Assembly. 

The seed of the Gospel sown in tears is 



86 WON BY PRAYER. 

beginning to bear a bountiful harvest. Accord- 
ing to the latest statistics our Mission reports 
seven churches and twelve preaching places. 
There are ten hundred and twenty-five mem- 
bers ; six hundred and twenty-four Sunday- 
school scholars ; contributions for all purposes 
during the last year are twenty-five hundred 
and fifty-seven dollars. 

Our missionaries have done noble service for 
the Master, and we can feel amply repaid for 
every offering made in behalf of our foreign 
work. They ask for our prayers ; they crave 
our sympathy ; they need our help. The Father 
in heaven bless them. 



XII. 

SENDAI THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 



87 



" By knowledge we do learn ourselves to know 
And what to man, and what to God we owe." 



88 



SENDAI THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 



r I ^O meet the great demand for new men to 
■*■ occupy the various stations, it became neces- 
sary to establish a school of the prophets. The 
call for more pastors and evangelists was nowhere 
more urgent than in the north of Japan. This 
institution is a child of faith and prayer. It 
had an humble beginning. We believe that the 
hand of God led the brethren, Hoy and Oshi- 
kawa, to establish the Training-school and to 
maintain it at a cost of much toil and self-sac- 
rifice. The S^ndai widow who came forward 
with her twelve pieces of silver, and kindled a 
holy enthusiasm in their hearts, led others to 
make sacrifices for this noble cause. This gift 
deserves more than a passing notice, for it was 
given not out of her abundance, but it was all 
that she had. She had saved this amount in 
case of her sickness or death. Her history is 
unknown, but this that she hath done will be 

spoken of as a memorial of her. Six young 

89 



go WON BY PRAYER. 

men came forward as candidates for the holy 
ministry. They were poor, because they had 
given up their profession as school-teachers to 
learn in the school of Christ. Faith brought 
them to the feet of the teachers, Hoy and Oshi- 
kawa, and faith found a way for their support. 
Brother Hoy not only taught, but fed and clad 
them at his own expense for one year. This 
unknown act of self-sacrifice is worthy of special 
mention, because it multiplied the widow's gift 
an hundred-fold. His heart was not at rest 
until the Training school a year ago found a 
veritable home through an additional offering 
known as the "John Ault Memorial Building," 
the gift of Rev. and Mrs. W. E. Hoy. 

The training-school, like the tabernacle of 
old, was a movable institution. It began in 
an old, dingy house along the outskirts of the 
city ; later it was moved into an unsuitable 
building on our Sambancho lot. Again, it 
found a home in several small rooms attached 
to what was once a Buddhist temple, but which 
is now the place of worship of our Sendai con- 
gregation. 

Last year the students took possession of the 



> 
a 



o 

5 
P 



SO 





SKNDAI THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 91 

two-story, well-built Japanese building, and until 
the Church will furnish the money for the Oshi- 
kawa Memorial Building, it cannot fully serve 
its original purpose as a dormitory. This build- 
ing is just such a home for the school as will 
invest it with such permanency as nothing else 
could give it. It is a memorial to a dear father, 
and it is an example of true missionary conse- 
cration. How loudly the act speaks to all who 
profess the name of Christ ! The faculty of 
the Seminary consists of Revs. W. E. Hoy, D. 
B. Schneder, M. Oshikawa, T. Abe and Mr. 
Yendo. 

These brethren are wielding a good influence 
in this most important branch of our mission 
work. The students in attendance have come 
from various parts of the empire. The present 
accommodations will not warrant the increase 
of students, and yet each year young men of 
good talent and earnest hearts apply for admis- 
sion. Upon the Church at home devolves the 
solemn responsibility of extending the useful- 
ness of this very important department of Chris- 
tian work. Let it be the subject of much 
thought, fervent prayer and liberal giving, and 



92 WON BY PRAYER. 

this school will not only occupy a high place 
in the hearts of the people of our Church, but 
it will send forth year after year a goodly num- 
ber of pious, earnest and intelligent young men 
.to labor and pray for the salvation of their 
countrymen, to the glory of the Master. 






XIII. 

OUR GIRLS' SCHOOL. 



93 



" FOR learning is the fountain pure 
Out from the which all glory springs : 
Whoso therefore will glory win, 
With learning first must needs begin.' 



94 



OUR GIRLS' SCHOOL. 



JAPAN is enthusiastic on the subject of edu- 
cation. The key to the heart of the Japan- 
ese is the school. It is true, they are more 
anxious for education than for Christianity, but 
the missionaries sincerely believe that the school- 
room will become the net whereby they may 
catch immortal souls for Jesus. The govern- 
ment does not yet realize the spiritual needs of 
the women and girls of Japan. To some ex- 
tent it understands their needs. It wishes them 
to have a practical education, but it is not yet 
willing to accept Christianity. Within the last 
few years the Christian Church has been paying 
much attention to the condition of women in 
heathen lands. The Gospel has done much for 
woman, and it is felt to-day that the conversion 
of Japan can be brought about only as the 
native women engage in the work of the Lord. 
Heathenism regards woman as the slave of man. 
With the advent of Christ into the world 

95 



96 WON BY PRAYER. 

woman rose from her menial condition to man's 
inferior in nothing, to his equal in all things, 
and to his superior in many things. In order 
that heathen women may occupy their rightful 
position in the social economy, they must enjoy 
a liberal Christian training. To this end our 
missionaries have seen proper to found the Girls' 
school at Sendai. From the beginning it was 
a success. The two excellent lady teachers, 
Miss Lizzie R. Poorbaugh and Miss Mary B, 
Ault, bade farewell to their native land with the 
full determination to carry the glad tidings of 
salvation to their unfortunate sisters at Sendai. 
The constant reports of their labors in the Girls' 
school prove that the Lord is giving them the 
desire of their hearts. Not only are their inter- 
esting pupils receiving the proper training of 
the mind, but ever and anon a heart opens to 
receive the gentle baptism of the Spirit. Every 
year some of them profess Christ and embrace 
the benefits of His saving grace. These bright 
and promising girls will become the future 
mothers of Japan, and in this way the home 
will become the vestibule of heaven. 

Miss Ault having married the Rev. W. E. 



OUR GIRLS' SCHOOL. • 97 

Hoy, Miss Emma F. Poorbaugh, a sister of 
Miss Lizzie, was elected by the Board of For- 
eign Missions to succeed her. Our ladies are 
well qualified to engage in this noble work 
among the women and girls of Japan. As in 
the case of the Training school, so with the 
Girls' school, to insure its permanent success a 
large and substantial building became necessary. 
The money for the comfortable structure that 
now adorns our beautiful Sambancho lot was 
supplied by the Church at home. It is a fitting 
monument to the liberality of our people, as 
well as a constant testimony to Christianity, 
in a city whose people are not yet the people 
of God. 
7 



XIV. 
EVANGELISTIC WORK. 



99 



"Ye Christian heralds, go, proclaim 
Salvation in Emmanuel's name : 
To distant climes the tidings bear, 
And plant the rose of Sharon there.' 



EVANGELISTIC WORK. 



T3EV. OSHIKAWA is a born evangelist. 

-*-. No sooner had the grace of God brought 
peace to his soul than his mouth became a 
trumpet to proclaim the precious Gospel of sal- 
vation to his perishing brethren. His soul was 
set on fire from heaven, and Jesus became the 
theme of his lips. It is impossible to estimate 
the number of souls who were led through his 
instrumentality into the kingdom of God. Ref- 
erence has already been made to his. influence 
upon his dear wife and loving mother, who 
were gradually brought into the glorious liberty 
of the children of God. During his student- 
life he could not hold his peace for his country's 
sake. At Niigata he stood with heroic bold- 
ness and made known the unsearchable riches 
of Christ. In Sendai he patiently bore with 
the slowness of the people to respond to his 
burning appeals. The record of his work is 
imperfect, for it mentions only those converts 



I02 WON BY PRAYER. 

who made their profession of Christ in his pres- 
ence. The Book of Life alone will reveal how 
many sheaves were bound by his hands, and 
how many trophies were won by his efforts. It 
must ever be borne in mind that our evangelistic 
harvest is the result of his planting. This is 
the bright side to the mission work of our 
Church in Japan. On the whole, the work in 
the several districts is very encouraging. One 
of its weaknesses is the lack of evangelists. 
"The harvest truly is great, but the laborers 
are few." May the L,ord of the harvest con- 
tinue to prosper us in this work, and grant us 
such results as will make glad the hearts of all 
His people, both in the home church and in the 
foreign field. The Church dare not neglect this 
most glorious department of mission work among 
the heathen. The great problem lies before 
us, and the Scriptures furnish the only practi- 
cal, possible solution. Every Christian must 
become a herald of the Cross. 

This is the marrow of the Gospel : — "Go ye 
into all the world and preach the Gospel to 
every creature." 



W 

3 
o 

CO 

g 
H 




XV. 

HIS VISIT TO AMERICA. 



IC5 



' BY Thine unerring Spirit led, 
We shall not in the desert stray : 
By Thy paternal bounty fed, 
We shall not lack in all our way : 
As far from danger as from fear, 
While Thine almighty* love is near." 



104 



HIS VISIT TO AMERICA. 



r I ^HE Japanese are not a strong-bodied people. 

■^ This is partly due to climate, food and 

mode of living. It is very evident that a 

feeble frame cannot endure for many years 

the trials and denials of the Christian ministry 

on heathen soil. Rev. Oshikawa is not a strong 

man, and hence his physical strength was not 

equal to his mental powers ; he is weak in the 

flesh but strong in the spirit. Thirteen years 

of incessant labors for the Master wore him out. 

The state of his health has been such, for the 

last few years, that he has not been able to do 

full work. A little more than a year ago he 

went to the Hok Kiado (North Sea road), in 

the north of Japan, for rest. Alas ! he did 

not find it. He was so persistently besieged 

for sermons, lectures, addresses and interviews, 

and at the same time it being so difficult for 

him to say, No, to any call of Christian work, 

that resting in his native country became out 

105 



106 WON BY PRAYER. 

of the question. Hence competent medical 
authority decreed that unless he obtained a 
complete rest and change, there would be great 
danger of his breaking down entirely. Some 
of his personal friends gave him money to come 
to America. Since the brother is more espe- 
cially identified with the work of our Mission at 
Sendai, our missionaries also gave him aid. He 
came to this country in March of the present year 
to find the rest he so much needs, and to enjoy 
the benefits of our richer experiencein grace and 
truth. We are sure that his visit will afford his 
own people a better conception of our country's 
glorious fame and genuine worth. He will 
sojourn amongst us for about one year, and we 
bespeak for him a cordial welcome everywhere. 

He has a threefold purpose in view in coming 
to America : — 

ist. To regain, if possible, his physical 
strength for his future life-work. 2d. To im- 
bibe the spirit of our Christian institutions. 3d. 
To raise funds for the new Seminary building 
and Church edifice in Sendai. May the Lord 
grant him the first ; may the institutions bestow 
the second ; may the churches provide the last. 




SEAL OF SENDAI THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY. 

Page 107. 



XVI. 
CONCLUSION. 



IC7 



1 To Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
One God and Persons Three, 
Whose name we bear, in whom we live 
Eternal glory be." 



1 08 



CONCLUSION. 



T T AS a life so full of self-sacrifices no les- 
^ ^ sons for us? Can we close this little 
book without feeling wiser and better for its 
perusal ? Circumstances will hardly afford all 
the readers of these pages the pleasure of a 
personal interview with this servant of the 
Lord. Truly the Divine artist has wrought 
out a noble specimen of Christian character 
in this humble disciple of the lowly Jesus. 
Here is a body kept in subjection, lest, after 
preaching to others, he himself might be a 
castaway. Here is a mind stored with the 
varied lore of the ages, for the high purpose 
of serving his dear people. Here is a soul, 
radiant with the light of Jesus and quietly 
shedding its rays for the healing of his na- 
tion. No one can come in contact with this 
man of God without feeling the better for it. 
We confidently believe that brother Oshikawa 

is but on the threshold of his future useful- 

109 



IIO WON BY PRAYER. 

ness. His work has only been begun. Eter- 
nity alone will see its completion. May his 
precious life enkindle holy and heavenly de- 
sires in every bosom, and constrain all to 
new and persistent labors for God and Man- 
kind. To God be the Glory. 






SUPPLEMENT. 

HISTORY OF MISSION WORK IN JAPAN. 



in 

9 



" BLESS we, then, our gracious Lord, 
Ever praise His glorious name ; 
All His mighty acts record. 

All His wondrous love proclaim." 



112 



SUPPLEMENT. 

HISTORY OF MISSION WORK IN JAPAN. 

JAPAN is a very ancient nation. Its first 
emperor sat upon the throne about 800 
b. c. Very little was known of this hermit 
nation prior to the sixteenth century. . In the 
year 1549 Francis Xavier, "the Apostle of the 
Indies," came to Satsuma and began to scatter 
the good seed of the religion of Jesus Christ. 

Religiously, Japan was ripe, for the new 
faith. Vast numbers of the natives became 
converts to Christianity. " Three of the most 
powerful nobles— the princes of Bungo, Harima 
and Omura — were among the converts. In 
1582 the Japanese sent an embassy with letters 
and presents to Rome to do honor to the pope 
and assure him of their submission to the 
Church." The famous regent, Hideyoshi, was 
a bitter enemy of the new religion, but in 
order to win the southern daimzos (governors) 
who were mostly Christians, he did not oppose 

it during his early reign. The native Chris- 
8 113 



114 WON BY PRAYER. 

tians soon became disobedient to his rude and 
arbitrary orders, and this made him inquire of 
u a subject of the double kingdom of Spain 
and Portugal how his king had managed to 
possess himself of half the world ? n The 
Spaniard replied : ' c He sends priests to win 
the people ; his troops are then sent to join 
the native Christians, and the conquest is 
easy." This reply made a deep impression on 
a man who was never trifled with. He felt 
that the Roman Catholic Church was trying 
to usurp the government of Japan, and this 
conviction drove his successor to issue the 
terrible edict : " So long as the sun shall 
warm the earth, let no Christian be so bold as 
to come to Japan. " A few years later a fierce 
war ensued, in which sixty thousand Christians 
lost their lives. This, in brief, is the first 
chapter of the mission work in Japan. It is 
written with the pen of war in the ink of 
human blood. Its influence was very damag- 
ing to the cause of true religion. The Roman 
Catholic Church has very little prestige in the 
empire at the present time. Its converts are 
mostly from the poorer and more ignorant 



HISTORY OF MISSION WORK IN JAPAN. II5 

classes. Active mission work in Japan is of 
modern origin, and the wonderful progress of 
the Gospel is due to the influence of the Pro- 
testant Church. 

The second chapter begins with the visit of 
Commodore Perry and his party, who cast an- 
chor in the bay of Yeddo, on the Lord's day, 
in the year 1853. They sang the familiar 
words : 

"All people that on earth do dwell, 

Sing to the Lord with cheerful voice ; 
Him serve with fear, His praise forth tell — 
Come ye before Him, and rejoice." 

On that holy day God put the key to the 
Sunrise kingdom into the hand of Commodore 
Perry, and soon after some of its ports' were 
thrown open to the commerce of the world 
and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

When we remember that thirty years ago 
there were but few native Christians and fewer 
foreign missionaries in Japan, the , progress of 
the Gospel has been truly wonderful. At first 
the work was carried on by foreign mission- 
aries, without any natives to assist them. The 



Il6 WON BY PRAYER. 

pioneers — Verbeck, Hepburn, Williams and 
Brown — had not only to sow the seed, but to 
prepare the soil for its reception. For a period 
of fifteen years these men of God were prepar- 
ing themselves for the conflict with a gross 
heathenism, and during all this time they did 
not enjoy the satisfaction of making a single 
known convert for Christ, but by the grace of 
God they persevered, and the bread of life 
that they cast upon the troubled waters is re- 
turning after many days.. 

Very few of the nobler and more influential 
class were willing to listen to the Gospel. 
Most of the converts came from the lower and 
more ignorant class. We can easily see that 
the churches in the beginning were weak and 
imperfect in every respect. How to reach the 
better class became the question of absorbing 
interest with the missionaries. They found its 
solution in the establishing of schools. The 
management of the schools was dependent 
upon them. They were obliged to exercise 
much patience with their rude and crude pu- 
pils, but in the school-room they reached a 
higher standard of personal consecration to 






o 
d 



o 

> 




HISTORY OF MISSION WORK IN JAPAN. 117 

Christ and of intelligent equipment for a suc- 
cessful warfare against the adversaries of Chris- 
tianity. These students have since become the 
faithful evangelists who are sacrificing their 
lives for the sake of the Gospel. As the mission 
schools were increasing their forces, the nation 
at large also began to move in the direction 
of Christian civilization. The people lost con- 
fidence in their old religion and saw that true 
progress lay in the pathway of the Christian 
institutions. This feeling made them eager to see 
and hear those who came from other countries ; 
they were struggling after something which they 
could not attain under their old civilization. 
From this time on the foreign missionary was 
no longer the exclusive worker, but the Japan- 
ese assistant appears by his side. The latter 
accompanies the former from place to place, 
preaching the Gospel, teaching the ignorant, 
visiting the sick, strengthening the weak and 
helping in every way the work of the L,ord. 

The native helpers have become, to a great 
extent, the pastors of the churches. They are in- 
deed not yet perfect in spiritual things, but they 
are daily advancing in grace, truth and holiness. 



Il8 WON BY PRAYER. 

The Church of Christ in Japan is gradually 
strengthening herself with all the varied helps 
of modern times. The evangelistic work is 
carried on mainly by native pastors, while the 
training of candidates for the holy ministry is 
the particular work of the foreign missionary. 

Men who have made the work of missions in 
Japan a careful study are agreed that the triumph 
of the Gospel there depends upon the preaching 
of the Gospel by the native converts. It is 
plain, therefore, that ' ' the work of training 
young men for the ministry is by far the most 
fruitful and permanent method of doing mis- 
sionary work in Japan. A good native minis- 
ter can preach more eloquently and make 
more converts than almost any one of the 
foreign missionaries ; he preaches in his mother 
tongue, understands his own people better, be- 
comes more intimate with them and has more 
influence over them. All this, however, pre- 
supposes the direct personal contact of the na- 
tive evangelist with the foreign missionary. 
By training native young men the missionary 
multiplies himself manifold. He makes convert- 
makers ; and if he can make twelve efficient 



HISTORY OF MISSION WORK IN JAPAN. II9 

convert-makers lie does better than if he would 
make a hundred converts." 

The centre of influence in every denomina- 
tion is the school. The success of the evan- 
gelistic work depends, in a large measure, upon 
the educational institutions. In the future it 
will become more necessary because the edu- 
cational progress of Japan is truly wonderful. 
The enemies which confront Christianity are 
great and mighty, and it is very important for 
the native and foreign missionaries to u be able 
to give a reason for the faith that is in them." 
The battle there is eminently a battle of in- 
tellect. Fully thirty thousand Christians are 
letting their light shine in the spiritual dark- 
ness of Japan, the bulk of whom are young 
men, who ought to receive a Christian training. 
It will be hazardous to place these tender 
plants of grace into institutions that are known 
as the nurseries of unbelief and skepticism. 
They need to have thrown around them the 
sacred influence of Christian schools. 

Again, if these young men graduate in a 
government-school it will be very difficult to 
induce them to enter a theological seminary. 



120 WON BY PRAYER. 

The Christian Church of Japan needs men 
whose talents and attainments will fit them 
for the highest grades of society. 

The work of the church in the home-land 
consists chiefly in supplying the means to es- 
tablish schools of a high order in which young 
men and women may receive a broad, liberal, 
Christian education. 

With a native ministry ' ( apt to teach ' ' the 
Church of Christ in Japan will be able by the 
help of God to carry forward the work of Re- 
deeming love. 






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